Stormproof louver



Sept M, 1934. B. L. HINKLE STORMPROOF LOUVER Filed April 13, 1933 INVENTOR ATTORNEYj Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

My invention relates to louvers of the type wherein a plurality of spaced overlapping slats are mounted in a suitable frame and so designed and arranged as to permit free ventilation while excluding rain.

The particular object of my invention is to improve the design and arrangement of the slats so that I am enabled to produce a louver which is strictly storm proof in that it will permit ample 1, ventilation while preventing the access of wind blown water, or even the spray thereof, into the space protected by the louver.

To the above end, my invention contemplates the provision of slats arranged in overlapped relation, each comprising upper and lower transverse levels terminating in oppositely directed end baflles, there being upright intermediate baflle walls dependent below the upper level with the outer of said walls serving to connect said levels. 1 These outer baffle walls present substantially vertical outer obstructions to air borne water entering the louver between its outerend baflies, the inner baffle walls serving as a second substantially vertical obstruction to intercept any water that may make its way past the outer baffle walls.

Preferably the intermediate upright baflle walls of each slat are arranged parallel and disposed substantially the same distance from each other that they lie from the end baflie of the louver to which they are respectively adjacent.

My invention further contemplates so disposing the louver slats that the closest clearances provided in the ventilating passages are substantially of uniform area so that no one throttling point is provided.

More particularly, my invention contemplates designing the slats soas to provide substantially vertical and substantially horizontal transverse surfaces so designed and arranged as to provide passages through which the air currents rise as they flow in a zig-zag course continuously and without reversal of direction through the louver and with a minimum of drop or rise, to the end that the warm air may pass downwardly through the louver as freely as possible while at the same time all air borne water will be effectively intercepted.

My invention further comprises the novel details of construction and arrangements of parts, which in their preferred embodiment only are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmental view in front outside elevation of a louver constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawing, I have sought to show only what I regard as its preferred form, but obviously this is capable of modification both as to size, material and as to the specific shape of the louver elements without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

As shown, the louver comprises a marginal frame having side members 5 and a top member 6, the frame being preferably formed of sheet In tal I with the top having in its outer wall exten ed downwardly to form a short depending flange across the top of the opening in the louver proper. To the underwall 8 of the top frame member 6 and to the sides 5 I attach a special top louver element which comprises a lower outer vertical :5 end flange 9 terminating in an inturned lip 10 and at its upper end joined to a slightly upwardly-in;- clined transverse wall 11 which in turn merges into an outer vertical baflie wall 12 that extends to the top wall 8, and, as illustrated, is bent inwardly and again downwardly to provide the depending inner vertical baflie wall 13. The walls 12 and 13 are preferably parallel and 13, as shown, terminates in the projected plane of the wall 11.

The standard slat for the louver comprises the elements 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 as already described, but the metal is doubled back on 13 so as to provide, with the metal connecting 12 and 13, an upper slightly inclined transverse wall 14 extending to the inner face of the louver and there terminating in an upstanding vertical end baflie 15 having at its upper edge an inturned lip 16. It will be noted that the louver slat is composed of substantially horizontal and substantially vertical surfaces and in its preferred design its inner baflle wall 13 is about the same distance from the outer baflle wall 12 that the latter is from the lower end battle 9. Also, the wall 13 is about the same distance from the upper end bafile 15 as it is from the battle wall 12. This arrangement is preferred as it brings the clearance between the elements 10 and 12 of adjacent slats substantially equal to the closest distance between the elements 11 and 14, 13 and 14, and 13 and 16. Thus the restricted portions of the zig-zag passageways between louver slats all have a substantially equal cross sectional area to avoid throttling.

By reducing the pitch angle of the transverse walls 11 and 14 so that they lie nearly horizontal, I reduce the vertical travel of the air necessary to traverse the passages of the louver, thus making easier the descent of the warmair through the louver passages and increasing its efliciency.

By reason of the substantially vertical arrange- 5 ment of the coacting baflle walls 9, 12, 13 and 15,

I make it impossible for air-borne water to even pass as spray through the louver because any such water entering between the outer end bames=9 will be driven directly against the outer vertical baifles l2 and if diverted upwardly it will strike the nearly horizontal transverse walls 11, but should it attempt to pass inwardly over these walls 14 it.

will be caught by the bafiles 13 and if any passes under the latter batlles it will be caught by the inner end baifles 15. The air thus flows in a zigzag direction continuously with small vertical travel from the inner to the outer face of the louver or vice versa. I desire to avoid any reversal of-direction of the air current because the efficiency of the louver, as a ventilator, depends upon the free circulation of air through its pas- \'sages. Its efiiciency as a storm proof protection depends upon the disposition of its baflle walls so as to prevent even air-borne spray, generated within the louver by very forcible external air currents, from passing the louver into the compartment it protects.

While the louver slats are as shown made'up from an integral bent metal sheet or strip, the slats in substantially the form shown may be produced by any other desired method of manufacture as an integral structure or otherwise. The function of the lips 10 and 16 are to stiffen the end baffles, this being a function materially contributed to by the walls 11 and 14 which themselves lie almost normal to the plane of the end baffles 9 and 15.

The bottom slat forms the lower frame member and differs from the othersin that its wall 17, corresponding to the wall 9, is shaped to conform to the cement filler 18, this part 17 being bent outwardly at 19 and downwardly at 20 to protect the joint between the louver and the element 18.

nected to the metallic elements 21 which extend across the louver opening over head.

Having assembled and set up the louver in the manner described, it will be noted that the pitch of a plane connecting the outer lip 10 on one slat with the inner lip 16 of the next lower slat will be disposed at a small angle to the horizontal, as a result of which the verticaltravel of air currents traversing the louver are reduced to a minimum, but the upright bafliing elements in The top louver frame member 6 is shown conthe passage are so corelated that air-borne water cannot travel through the louver passage without being intercepted and, once intercepted, its traverse of the louver is thereafter made impossible. I

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only suchlimitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:-

1. A louver comprising a plurality of transverse slats disposed in spaced overlapping relationship, each slat comprising oppositely disposed upright upper and lower end baflles,- two intermediate spaced upright baillev walls, a lower transverse wall connecting the upper end of the lower end baflle and the lower end of the adjacen upright bafile wall, and an upper transverse ill connecting the upper ends of both intermediate bafge walls and the lower end of the upper end 2. A louver according to claim 1, in which the transverse walls are flat and set with only a slight upward inclination inwardly of the louver, the upper of said walls of a slat being disposed 135 above the lower level of the lower end battle of the next higher slat.

3. A louver according to claim 1, in which the transverse walls of a slat lie in parallel nearly horizontal planes with the lower wall lying be- 5 low the top level of the upper end baflle on the next lower slat and the upper wall lying above the bottom level of the lower end battle on the next higher slat.

4. A louver according to claim 1, in which the 11:; upper transverse wall underlies, and is substantially equidistant from, the lower ends of the intermediate bafile walls of the next higher slat.

5. A louver according to claim 1, in which the intermediate baffle walls on one slat stand sub-. stantially equidistant from the adjacent endbaffies on adjacent slats.

6. A louver according to claim 1, in which the v intermediate baflle walls on one slat stand substantially equidistant from each other and from the respectively adjacent end baflies on adjacent slats.

BENJAMIN L. HINKLE. 

